On Shabbat, we begin Rosh Chodesh Elul. The month of Elul is our wake up call that leads us into Rosh HaShanah. It is during this month that the shofar will sound each day in Jewish communities around the world. A unified sound will drift across time zones as people arise, gather, and sound the shofar before the sun goes down. At Temple Emanu-El, if you’d like to hear the sounding of the shofar, you’ll be able to catch it during the days of Elul at 4:00 pm. The special nature of Elul comes from Moses’ second journey up on Mount Sinai to collect the second set of tablets. Moses spends forty days on the mountain top after he broke the first set tablets in a rage when he saw the Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf. The date that he went back up is said to have been Rosh Chodesh Elul and that he did not return back to the Israelite people until Yom Kippur—forty days. Like Moses, we are called to engage in deep self-reflection and soul searching in anticipation of our own spiritual … [Read more...]
Men are from Babylonia and Women are from the Land of Israel
That was the unofficial title of the Monthly Talmud class that met this past Tuesday. We studied a tragicomic story from the Talmud* about the different ways men and women communicate. The story goes that about 1,500 years ago, a man moves from Babylonia to Land of Israel. The man marries a local woman, and the next thing we read is a request he makes of his new bride to cook him two lentils. So, she did as she was told. She cooked him precisely two lentils. The text says that he seethed with anger at her after this incident. The next day he told her, make me a barrel-full of lentils. So she made him enough lentils to fit in a giant barrel—way more than any single person could possibly eat. The story is a classic case of following someone’s instructions according to their literal meaning. The wife, dutifully doing as her new husband asks, follows his instructions. However, we get a sense that the husband might be talking figuratively and not literally. What transpires next is that the … [Read more...]
Summer Love
I often start my mornings at Temple Emanu-El with a trip down to the preschool or with a warm welcome to the little ones and their parents as they open our front doors with joy. These tiny tots are full of excitement and enthusiasm, having just had the chance to finally be tall enough to reach up and touch that magical blue button that rings the bell and opens the door to our sacred space. There is an innocent and everlasting love that comes from our tiny explorers. This very morning I had the chance to chat with one of our newest talkers as he tried to tell me about his new little sister. He sent me off to begin my day with a hug and a kiss as he and his dad began their journey down to the MJCCA Schiff School. It’s this kind of everlasting love that our Torah portion speaks about this week. We’re called upon to love God with all of our heart, soul, and might. Further, we are commanded to share this love of God with children throughout our entire day: when we lie down and when we rise … [Read more...]
Again
As it was getting dark last night, I was in a public park in Woodstock trying to keep my candle lit against the intermittent breeze. I was not alone. About 100 others were there, at this candlelight vigil sponsored by Students Demand Action , a group of young adults who are championing gun safety reform. Since the horrors that claimed over 30 lives in El Paso and Dayton this past weekend, I, like many of you, seemed to vacillate between helplessness, horror, and a looming numbness. Another mass shooting… again. Senseless murders… again. None of us, no matter our politics, can look at the world that has been created for our kids and not know in the depth of our souls that something is seriously broken. When I got the call yesterday morning from the young man, who was organizing the vigil, and he asked if I would be there to speak to the crowd as a rabbi who cares, I told him that I would have to call him back. I had to take a few minutes to think… to lean into my feelings of … [Read more...]
Welcome to Our New Shinshin
Temple Emanu-El and Shinshinim of Atlanta* are working hard to build personal relationships between Israel and America. Last year you might have seen our Shinshin, Omer, around the building during Religious School or out with our kids at youth events. Omer did an incredible job of connecting our youth to Israel by being an amazing role model and engaging with the kids about all things Israel. As much as Omer taught our community about Israel, so too did we teach Omer about the incredible ways that practicing Judaism as a Reform Community can enhance his own identity. Omer shared: Before I came to the Temple Emanu-El community I only saw myself as Israeli. Having learned the beautiful way that your community practices Judaism, I am now proud to share that I am both Jewish and Israeli, I’m finally proud of my Jewish identity. Our community will stay in touch with Omer for many years to come and now we look forward to welcoming our next Shinshin for the 2019-2020 school year, Nicole … [Read more...]
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